Minor Remains in Critical Condition after Shooting

Kurk Broaster

A fifteen year old youth was shot on Monday afternoon on Pickstock Street in the City by two men who rode up to him and opened fire. The student remains hospitalized at the K.H.M.H. and his condition has stabilized. Family remembers believe that the tensions between rival gangs may have triggered the shooting and claim to know who the gunman was. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Fifteen year old Kurk Broaster remains hospitalized at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a critical, but stable condition following a brazen afternoon shooting on Monday afternoon. Broaster was targeted a stone’s throw from his house as he stood near Food and Beverage, at the corner of New Road and Pickstock Street. Two men on a motorcycle approached Broaster and another minor and fired up to four shots at the duo. Three shots made their mark on the fifteen-year-old who was rushed via taxi to the K.H.M.H.

Alicia Rancharan, Sister of Shooting Victim

“I was at home when I received a call from my mother stating that I should go to the hospital because my younger brother got shot. She told me that he got shot on Pickstock Street. He received three shots: one in the stomach area, one in the upper shoulder and one in the back.”

Kurk is the third of six children; he is a student at Ladyville Technical High School and is not known to be a troublemaker. So why would gunmen take aim at the youth? According to his older sister, Alicia Rancharan, the family knows who the shooter is and that rivalry between two groups from the area led to the gun violence.

Alicia Rancharan

Alicia Rancharan

“From what I know and I get to understand, Jungle and 103 been having a rivalry for the past—I don’t know—how many months. My younger brother, he don’t tell my mother anything about what happens to him. I am the one that he confides in and he told me that couple months ago, they chased him. So I don’t know why they shot him.”

Duane Moody

“So would you say it is rivalry between two groups of persons?”

Alicia Rancharan

“Well that should be the reason because they chase him, but I don’t know what is the reason or what was the motive why they chase him.”

Duane Moody

“Exactly that…why attack him? Why fire shots at him. We understand that at least four shots were fired at him and three obviously caught him.”

Alicia Rancharan

“Well my brother, he attends school. He is dedicated to his school work and dedicated to his younger cousin and everyone. Most of the time, he is playing ball with the kids, chilling out with my grandmother and associating with friends he knows. Yes, we know who shot him, but there is one specific message I have to tell that person who shot my brother….God is not sleeping and they know the world is short and time is short. I want to let them know that what they do will not be a long time before it comes back to them.”

Since Monday, Broaster has been in and out of surgeries and is now in a critical, but stable condition. The family says that they are hopeful that he will recover.

Alicia Rancharan

“At the moment, he is okay. I don’t want to give out much details about that for the sake of other people and the family.”

Duane Moody

“I know you said earlier that he’s been through several surgeries, but the doctors are saying he will make it?”

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